Patience Lost
by TB80
Summary: Maggie has finally run out of patience with Alex. Pure fluff.


Maggie had tried being patient. She really had. She knew this whole relationship thing was still new to Alex. Truth be told, it was still kinda new to her too. So she had tried not to push, tried to give Alex the time she clearly needed.

Only it had been more than three months, and Alex was still holding back. Maggie had tried, but patience had never been her strong suit. It was clear now that she was going to have to take matters into her own hands. She was through being patient.

The easiest thing to do of course, would be just to ask. Maggie discarded that option almost immediately. One, she rarely chose the easy path, but more importantly, if she had to ask, she felt it would diminish the significance. But most importantly, it wouldn't be nearly as much fun.

So Maggie was still biding her time, trying to find the perfect opportunity to put her plan into action. Of course, she still had to come up with a plan. So first, develop a plan. Second, find perfect opportunity to implement said plan. Easy.

Maggie was mulling over potential plans when she let herself into her apartment, and she realized that her quest for a plan, and a time, had finally come to an end. While she had been wracking her brain, the universe had decided to smile on her and drop the solution into her lap. Or her sofa, to be exact, but in Maggie's mind it was close enough.

Said solution was curled up on her sofa, deeply engrossed in whatever nerdy science book had caught her attention this week. That wasn't actually all that unusual. With their crazy schedules, Maggie had given Alex a key to her place weeks ago. If they were to have any chance of seeing each other during the week, outside of a crime scene, it was almost a necessity. Alex had obviously gotten done early for a change, and decided to head over to Maggie's in the hopes of stealing an evening with her girlfriend.

That wasn't what had made Maggie realize her torment was finally at an end though. No. It wasn't Alex, on her sofa, reading a book. It was Alex, on her sofa, reading a book….in glasses. Maggie had no idea her girlfriend even owned a pair, but clearly, she still had some things to learn.

If it wasn't for her need to put her plan into action before Alex acknowledged her presence she would have actually taken a bit longer to appreciate how cute, and hot, her girlfriend looked in her frames. Maggie was going to have to request that Alex wore them more often, much more often. But she didn't have time for that right now.

Resting her hand on her service weapon, even in jest she would never dream of pulling a gun on Alex, though it did lower the authenticity of the scenario.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but you broke into the wrong apartment. I've had a long day, and I really don't want to make it any longer by being tied up filling out paperwork all night, so you have ten seconds to get yourself out of here before I am forced to arrest you."

Alex jumped, and fumbled the book she was holding. It dropped to the floor with a thud. Maggie almost cracked when she saw the adorably confused look on her girlfriend's face. If this wasn't bound to be so entertaining, she would almost feel badly. She steeled her resolve; Alex had brought this on herself. If she had just been honest, it never would have come to this.

"Maggie?"

"What, did you go through my mail?" Maggie kept her eyes trained on Alex and moved slowly around the perimeter of the room, keeping on hand still resting on her gun, and clearing a free path towards the door.

Alex's brow furrowed in concern. "Did something happen at work today? Are you not feeling well?" Alex stood up and made her way towards her girlfriend. "Did you hit your head?" Alex asked in genuine concern.

Maggie smiled. Internally. She didn't want to break character. Alex was always so concerned about her safety. It was sweet.

"Stop!" Maggie commanded firmly, holding her other hand out in front of her to ward Alex off. "I don't know what kind of crazy stalker fantasy you are living right now, but you now have five seconds to clear out, or find out why National City's holding cells did not get even a one star accommodation."

"Maggie, it's me, Alex, you're girlfriend. We've been dating for three months?" Maggie could see that she was really starting to freak her girlfriend out, and almost wavered. Hold strong Sawyer, you have one shot at this, don't blow it.

"I do have a girlfriend named Alex, and we have been dating for three months, but honey, you ain't her." Maggie tilted her head to the side. "Do you honestly think I wouldn't recognize my own girlfriend?" Maggie narrowed her eyes. "You better not have done anything to Alex in your attempt at living out your single white female fantasy or there will not be a place on this earth you can hide from me." Maggie could feel herself getting legitimately upset at the thought of something happening to Alex, and she had to remind herself to calm the hell down. Alex was find, and standing in front of her. Looking at her like she was worried for her sanity.

"Okay now you are starting to freak me out. What is wrong with you?"

"Nothing is wrong with me. You are the lunatic who broke into my apartment and impersonate my girlfriend. Poorly I might add, you don't look anything like her."

Alex continued to eye her warily. Maggie figured that was mostly due to the fact that she still had her hand on her weapon. Alex reached up to rub the bridge of her nose, bumped into her glasses, removed them, and then pinched the bridge of her nose to try to ease the tension headache that Maggie was sure had started to brew.

"Alex?" Maggie asked, making sure to infuse her question with as much bewilderment and confusion as her one turn of acting in her 7th grade school play had taught her. She could still hear Mrs. Clayburn urging her to _'Emote, Miss. Sawyer, emote!'_

"This is what I have been saying!" Alex snapped, throwing her arms up in exasperation.

Maggie relaxed her stance and finally took her hand off her weapon. She moved forward and planted a quick kiss on her, speechless, girlfriend's cheek. "Sorry babe, I didn't recognize you. Did you eat yet? I'm starved and I was thinking we could order in from that Thai place we talked about last week?"

Maggie edged gently around Alex and grabbed a beer. Popping the cap off on the bottle opener she had mounted to the edge of her counter, she turned to find Alex glaring at her at her, hands on her hips.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that a pair of glasses rendered you unable to recognize your own girlfriend," Alex demanded incredulously.

Instead of answering Maggie merely took a sip of her beer, tilted her head, and stared at Alex intently. She may also have been smirking, but just a little. All she had to do now was wait. Alex was a smart woman, she would get there eventually.

Maggie took another sip. Shouldn't be long now.

First the eyes closed. Followed by the slight shoulder slump. Finally there was the resigned, deep, sigh.

Alex met Maggie's gaze intently. "You know," Alex finally stated; it wasn't a question.

Instead of an answer Alex received another sip of beer, the knowing smirk was replaced by a two-dimpled grin, and Maggied dipped her head slightly to one side before bringing it upright once again.

Another sigh. "How long have you known?"

Maggie took a longer pull of her beer, and directed her gaze to the ceiling, as if she was really having to think about it. "Probably since….I first met Kara at the bar," Maggie admitted. "I am a detective Alex. I'm actually more than a little insulted you thought so little of my observational skills."

"You've known this whole time?" Alex cried. "Why did you keep letting me and Kara come up with those….frankly ridiculous excuses if you knew all along."

Maggie shrugged. "At first I thought you guys had figured out I already knew. Then you starting hatching those atrocious cover stories every time Kara had to leave early. After that I just found it so amusing watching you two trying to concoct even more outlandish scenarios, I wanted to see how far you would take it."

"You suck," Alex pouted, walking over and stealing Maggie's beer before turning around and resting her back against her girlfriend's front. It was a bit awkward with the height difference, but they had found a way to make it work.

Maggie wrapped her arms around Alex's waist and rested her chin on the agent's shoulder. She trailed a few kisses up Alex's neck before planting a final one on the shell of her ear. "You could have just told me," Maggie spoke softly into Alex's ear, causing her to shiver.

Maggie had tried to keep her tone light, she now had definite plans for the evening, and they didn't involve any serious conversations. Alex must have heard some of the hurt she had tried to conceal though because she turned her head slightly to meet Maggie's eyes. The hand Alex wasn't using to hold Maggie's stolen beer reached up and lightly caressed the side of the detective's face.

"You know it wasn't a matter of trust right?"

Maggie tried to avert her gaze, but the hand on her face held her firmly in place. Maggie shrugged. "I mean I get it."

"I have spent so much of my life protecting Kara's secret. It's just habit at this point." Alex leaned in and kissed Maggie firmly. "I'm sorry we didn't tell you sooner, and I promise, no more secrets."

"S'okay," Maggie mumbled, already leaning in for another kiss. Before she could get too lost in the woman in her arms she did have one finally thought. "But I mean, glasses Alex? Really? That was the best you two could come up with?"

"Actually, the glasses aren't merely decorative. They have a lead lining that…" Maggie cut off what she was sure to be a mini lecture with another kiss.


End file.
